Salt & Pepper. Peas & Carrots.

Grandma & Grandpa.

Cars & Trucks.

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy. Bread & Butter.

Schools & Teachers. Hugs & Kisses. Employers & Employees.

Girls & Boys. Brothers & Sisters.

Students & Teachers. Pencils & Pens.

Arms & Legs. Eyes & Ears.

Bible Study & Prayer.

Sons & Daughters.

Paper & Scissors. Cats & Dogs. Whispers & Secrets.

Husbands & Wives. Fathers & Sons. Mothers & Daughters.

The Apostles & Jesus. Paul & Silas. Adam & Eve. Mary & Joseph.

You & Me. Jesus & You. Jesus & Me.

What goes together; what things do we naturally place side-by-side, so that when our mind goes to one, we naturally go to the other? Maybe it’s people’s names. Maybe what goes together are those we know who have been married for several decades, and when we say one name, out of habit, the second name automatically follows. Maybe (even if the couple were separated, divorced, or even be divided by death) still, we would naturally place one name beside the other name. And maybe we place these names together, even though those people who we see in our mind are now in a relationship with someone new.
Relationships.

Are they really that necessary? Are they really that vital to our existence and to our health? Would we survive to our fullest without them? Would we want to?
Today is a day to ponder those we love. Truly, we thrive when we are surrounded by those we hold most dear, and maybe that’s what makes this time of Coronavirus, of separation, and of social distancing so difficult.  When we are forced to live cut off from others, working alone, living in isolation, or in quarantine (all due to a contagious virus) then life just doesn’t feel natural because we are people designed for close friendships and intimacy with another.
Think about it for a moment.  We seek others in acquaintance; we grow deeper into our relationships; possibly we even fall in love and marry our best friend.  Why do we do that?   Why do we seek others, thankful for their relationship and companionship?
It’s because that’s how God designed us. God knew Adam could survive, but God knew Adam would be stronger, healthier, mentally happier, more content, and better with his Eve walking through life with him.

Eve—Adam’s helpmate. Adam—Eve’s & Eve—Adam’s.
God knew we needed one another, and so we easily read in the Scripture this truth recorded in the beginning of time.

“Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him. “Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called the living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He [God] took one of his [Adam’s] ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:18-23).

God created us. He knew what we most needed. God knew men needed women and women needed men. God knew we needed relationships with others. God knew mothers needed sons & He knew sons needed mothers. God knew moms needed daughters & daughters needed mothers. God knew husbands needed wives & wives needed husbands. God knew we needed relationships, that it would be better for us, that it was not good for us to be all alone.
God also knew we needed a Savior. God knew we needed Jesus, to walk along beside us in life as we journeyed. God knew we needed Jesus—our Messiah, our Savior, our LORD, our Master, our Emmanuel, and our Friend. God knew.

And God knew this about His creation from the beginning of creation. 

So today, questions arise. Do we have an estranged relationship that needs attention, that needs repair? Do we have a friend who we’ve lost close contact with because of a job change or because of a life situation? Do we know someone who needs a friend, who needs a relationship? And most importantly, do we individually know Jesus as our personal Savior and LORD?
Maybe on this day, we are the ones in need of an intimate encounter with Jesus.
As Christians, we are surrounded by a world filled with people, those who need to meet God.  There are so many who need to meet the One who gives us purpose and who centers us. Who do we know who needs to meet the Messiah? As believers, we are surrounded by people who need to meet Jesus Christ. So, let us each ask: On this Friday, who will I introduce to my Savior and LORD? Let us walk with awareness throughout this day, looking closely at our relationships, and let us love those we call friends and family so much that we won’t allow them to go another day without meeting our Savior Jesus.  And let us boldly ask them—–Do you know my Jesus?